IMPERIAL RELATION

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1611, 14 January 1903, Page 24

IMPERIAL RELATION

SIB, GILBERT PARKER’S VIEWS.

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, November 28.

Presiding last Tuesday at a meeting of the Women’s Liberal Unionist Association at which addresses were delivered by Sir Vincent Caillard and the Hon. W. P. Reeves, Sir Gilbert Parker chose for his opening theme the tepie of “Imperial Relation.” In his own view, said the novelist knight, the cause of the closer Imperial relations they all desired, would be best served by encouraging the widest latitude in suggestion and discussion. How varied had been the proposals since the subject was accepted as being within the range of practical politics. Such organisations as the Lnperial Fedcration League, the British Empire League, and the Navy League had spread ambitious sails, had furrowed far waters of discussion, all the time taking soundings and making the chart, and steadily nearing home. The proposals made at the Colonial Conference would not have been possible of acceptance in any form a few years ago. Some of them were not wholly digestible, perhaps, but “good digestion waits on appetite,” and the appetite would in due time create the proper food of alliance. The peoples and Governments should consider all proposals without impatience, for out of the mass would come one day the formula by which our Commonwealth of nations would be united in a true confederation of commerce, of defence, of sentiment. It took twentyfive years of agitation to confederate Canada and Australia; it would take far longer to complete our Imperial Commonwealth. That out of the pourparlers of all these years there should be at least admitted the principle of a common responsibility was a fact for encouragement and congratulation. The colonies would not listen to any scheme which was less than alliance, and alliance meant responsibility, and common duty, and a share of the common burden. Canada had given preference in trade and money towards the naval works of Esquimault; Australia gave money to the Navy, Natal, the Cape, New Zealand did the same. These acts, inadequate though they were, shewed the growth of responsibility. It had taken various forms, but we had not yet arrived at the final form. Out of the many ways would come the one way, and that one way would satisfy the need and the duty. There was a legend of an old man who made Satsuma ware. For years he toiled to find the perfect quality and the perfect form, but without avail. The form was vaguely there, but because the quality was deficient the dream of beauty was never fulfilled. Through long nights and watchful days he waited; he searched. At last a voice said to him that one thing was needed to give the perfect quality to the clay—a life the ashes of a human body. He would willingly have given his own body, buo of what avail? He had a daughter. She knew his trouble and realised his dream. Even as he brooded by his furnace one night she plunged into the flame, and when the fires died out, there was the perfect vase. a One day the Empire would, realise some brave sacrifice, and the perfect formula of alliance would come. He did not know but that it had come. During the last three years our kinsmen had offered sacrifice, the willing gift of blood and treasure, and it might be that when the fires of-the furnace of trial died down there would be found the formula we had longed for and desired.